A
Dream
In the midst of the heartaches of World War II, the discovery of
concentration camps, D-Day, and the debut of “The Adventures
of Ozzie and Harriet”, one man, Milbert Moritz (Mill), began
a sole proprietorship selling paint and body shop supplies to local
auto and truck repair shops. It was a business plan that would be
an uphill climb, but in 1944 there was no reason to hold back, it
would succeed or fail, and succeed it was. During those early years
Mill adopted the policies that Mill Supply, Inc. still uses today.
He discovered what his customers really wanted; fast shipping, quality
parts, and competitive prices.
All Businesses Need
to Grow
As the years passed and customer demands increased, Mill expanded
his business to sell to fleets, hence Mill Auto Supply became a
supplier for Step Van Parts. Growing involved moving into a larger
facility and in 1968 Mill Auto Supply moved from 65th and Hough
to 33rd and Superior in Cleveland, Ohio. By doubling their size
with the new facility there was enough room to take on other products
and he began selling aftermarket automotive replacement panels that
were no longer available from dealers.
It’s
Time to Sell
In 1975 Milbert Moritz decided it was time to sell but not retire.
In fact, Mr. Moritz never did retire until he was laid to rest in
2002. Many can still remember when he would call in an order from
his home in Florida. It was his desire to have personal contact with
each local customer and as far as we know, he did.
Some Names
Linger
By 1981 Mill Auto Supply began selling to others besides fleets and
body shops. A name change was in order, hence Mill Supply, Inc. became
the official name. Even at the turn of the century our original customers
still used the old name without any intention of changing, though
it was a change that was needed. For in 1986 Mill’s market was
expanded to include snow plow parts. Today our “Discount Snow
Plow Parts” catalog reaches snow removal professionals across
the county. The line includes parts that fit Meyer, Western, Fisher
and Diamond plows plus many other related winter items. You can jump
to our web site at www.discountsnowplowparts.com and discover the
variety of related products we now offer to the snow plow industry.
Busting at
the Seams
Thirty years in one place is enough. Lofts and second levels in rooms
that were designed for one floor were choked to inefficiency. The
travel between a local second warehouse wasted time for packers and
warehouse employees. Office space was saved by using smaller desks
and cubical walls were used to absorb some of the sound. We had maxed
out all available space renovation options and it was time to move
on. After literally years of searching, an adequate facility with
sufficient warehouse and office space for both the present and future
needs was located in Warrensville Hts, Ohio. With careful planning
Mill Supply, Inc. made its major move in one weekend after months
of preparation; no down time, no slack in order fulfillment.
With the increase in warehouse space,
expanding the automotive industry from just rust repair panels was
without question. Our customers demanded more products; thus we added
radiators, fuel tanks, mirrors, lamps, oil pans, brake pads and the
list goes on. And that was just for the body shop and the home mechanic.
Our step van line increased to include chassis and suspension parts,
brakes, bumpers and more. Recently, we have introduced equipment parts
for the commercial landscape industry. And all this because we moved
into a space where we could make dreams come true.
Milbert Moritz’ dream began
in 1944. Three generations of owners later the dream still grows with
the same original principles; fast shipping, quality parts, and competitive
prices.
It Takes More
Without keeping up with the times, Mill Supply, Inc. would not be
here today. Providing accessibility for our customers through the
internet, updated catalogs, toll-free phone lines and knowledgeable
sales people is what you have come to expect from Mill Supply. Mill
also has goals to add related products, increase efficiency, shorten
lead times, and add a greater emphasis on research and development.
Thank You
All of us at Mill Supply realize that you are the most important part
of the business. Please come and visit us when you are in the area
(for a map click
here). Thank you for enabling us to continue our steady growth.
Mill Supply’s
Mission Statement
Our focus is to provide prompt, courteous, dependable service and
offer quality merchandise at a competitive price while developing
our product line to meet the demands and needs of our customers. We
will promote integrity through mutual trust and sincere respect for
customers, employees, and vendors. Each department will operate in
an organized and efficient manner with clear procedures that produce
accurate results. We will increase market share and customer base
through the media, direct marketing, and the internet.
